


Buddy Cop

by HQ_Wingster



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Police, Assault, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Cop Bad Cop, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Moving On, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Omegaverse, Originally intended for a 7 y.o. but I had to bump up the rating because this is taxing story, Pain, Personal Growth, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Social Issues, Triggers, borderline for teens, police omegaverse, somewhat clean omegaverse?, somewhat clean police omegaverse?, the product of 5 days of working
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-29 23:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8510701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HQ_Wingster/pseuds/HQ_Wingster
Summary: “We promised each other that secondary-genders meant nothing. That I’m Phichit, and that you’re Yuuri. That we’re people, not labels.”When an accident occurs on the job, Yuuri shoulders the blame and takes full responsibility even though the circumstance was out of his control. *Trigger Warning[s]: assault, manipulation, implied/reference rape, social prejudices, SJW, [just a lot of people arguing]





	

**Author's Note:**

> ***To my lil bro, who wanted a police story but I'm going to have to make you another one because there is no way I'm letting you read this until you get older. Or, I have to read it to you so that I can omit details***
> 
> This is borderline for Teens. It is so so borderline that Mature is just one step away. I ain't posting a Mature fic, but I'm being real here because life isn't all cupcakes and rainbows. And it's far more dramatic than people want to believe. Read the tags again so you know what you're getting yourself into.

When Yuuri came home that day, he expected to see his roommate,  _Phichit_ , run past the door and envelope him in a hug. The cinnamon that dusted Phichit's clothes and the lovely scent of lilacs soothed, and Yuuri would hurry into the apartment before the smell drifted to unwanted noses. Phichit and Yuuri would have a lovely chat, and Phichit would turn on the TV and flip to the Discovery Channel so that both of them could travel the world without leaving the living room. All would be calm, and there were no regrets.

When Yuuri came home that day, the air was still and old. Not a hint of sweetness rushed out when he opened the door. A cool silence greeted Yuuri, absent of the foreign spices Phichit usually cooked with for his lunch. No jackets or blankets were in a pile, no whispers from Korean dramas, and the stale air was perhaps the worst smell that could welcome anyone home. For a beta, Yuuri didn't think that the lack of scent would bother him this much.

Being the "Average Joe" in a predominately alpha/omega world, Yuuri had to. Without the strength of an alpha or the nature of an omega, Yuuri had to get used to the hustles of this world and cope with the strengths and the bonds he forged. He knew some good alphas and omegas, but finding a beta was special. It meant he wasn't alone.  _Pulling off his jacket, Yuuri dragged his heels._ Without Phichit's cheer or scent to ease Yuuri's nerves, the latter wandered around the apartment room.

True, betas didn't need to seek comfort like an omega, but put a beta in a foreign room. The apartment room was exactly the same as it had been for weeks. While standing in Phichit's room managed to ease the gnawing pit of worry in his chest, Yuuri still needed reassurance. He avoided the blankets and pillows with a passion, he didn't touch anything that Phichit ignored or used during his heat a week before, and Yuuri definitely _did_ find an undershirt that he thought he had lost.

It was hidden under the bed, away from the blankets and pillows. Possibly a discarded piece from an old nest Phichit made a while back. Picking up the undershirt, Yuuri pressed it against his nose. Phichit's scent was faint, but the smell calmed Yuuri down. This was exactly what he needed: _a calm smell to brush the worries away_. In more ways than one, Yuuri was pretty glad that Phichit's heat occurred last week. How some alphas found comfort in heat-scents drew serious question marks in Yuuri's head, but he never asked any alphas on their opinion about it. It was personal, and nobody  _needed_  to know.

Yuuri kept the undershirt pressed against his nose as he left Phichit's room. A growl reminded him that he had to eat. Two days had passed since his last meal and if he delayed the need any longer, Phichit might as well have a familiar neighbor by his hospital bed. Rummaging through the cabinets, Yuuri settled on some salted crackers with a smear of peanut butter. It wasn't the best meal by any stretch of the imagination, but Yuuri had nothing else to eat. Dinner leftovers from a few nights before were still in the fridge, but Yuuri didn't glance at them.

Opening the fridge meant that everything was okay. Everything  _wasn't_ okay. Not for Phichit, not for Yuuri, not for the city, not for the officers on duty, and  _definitely_ not for the omegas who've been issued a warning to stay in a group than travel alone. On the market, alpha-repellents were sold out as more and more omegas masked their scent. It was a cheap solution that bought omegas false freedom. Yuuri shuddered when he remembered the advertisements that claimed that the repellent made one “ _become”_ a beta. The scent was neutral— _yes—_ but it was cold and sterile. Not the energetic warmth that omegas had commented Yuuri before on his scent _or_ the friendly-nature that the alpha officers Yuuri worked with would say.

Other than being a bad cover-up, Yuuri had seen enough omegas  _drown_ a whole bottle over their bodies, clothes, and belongings. An entire bottle wasted for just fifteen minutes. It was ridiculous, and a plain insult to betas. Yuuri could only name one other beta that genuinely cared about it. Okukawa Minako, his old teacher. Being the only betas in the city, their voice of concern was quickly drowned out by the whines of omegas who demanded more shipments. Yuuri's feelings were hurt when he found a bottle of the vile substance on Phichit's desk one day, but he saw the handwritten note next to it and sighed. Someone— _a family member—_ had bought Phichit a bottle.

 _Even if he did use it, it wouldn't change anything._ A cracker hung at the edge of Yuuri's teeth like an unlit cigarette. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

" _Aren't you going to answer it?"_ Phichit's voice resonated in Yuuri's mind.  _If you were here, probably._ The cracker between his teeth fell on his undershirt as Yuuri reached into his pocket and picked up the call. It was Mari.

"Hello?"

" _Are you hungry?"_

Yuuri smiled softly. "No, I had something to eat."

Mari chuckled over the line. " _That's good. So what are you going to do?"_

"Shower, it's been a long day." Yuuri took care not to move his left shoulder too much when his fingers brushed against his cheek.

" _About that."_   Yuuri heard Mari growl under her breath. " _You're lucky that Mom and Dad don't know yet."_

Yuuri's fingers froze and inched away from the claw-marks that ran down the left side of his face. His smile faltered. "What are you talking about?"

" _Don't play me like I'm a fool, Yuuri."_ Mari’s usual drawl was sharp with an alpha's point. " _The office called yesterday. Mom and Dad were busy, so I picked up the call on their behalf."_  There was a sigh. " _So what are you going to do now?"_

Yuuri picked up his undershirt, pressing it softly against his nose. Phichit's faint scent blew the dark clouds away, and it helped Yuuri focus. The information crept out of his throat, slowly. "I'm on parking ticket duty.  _For now,” he_ added. "Just until the investigation gets back on track. For my own safety as well and for--"

" _Where did he hurt you?"_ Mari's voice was quiet. Yuuri froze. " _Where did that goddamn alpha hurt you?"_

"I'm alright, Mari. It's not like the alpha could do anything to me.  _I'm just a beta._ "  _A stupid beta that barely saved his friend’s life._ Yuuri kept that to himself. While her sense of smell was non-existent compared to Yuuri's, Mari had heard enough implied secrets to know that her brother's heart wasn't completely truthful.

" _I'm giving you a second chance."_ Yuuri would've preferred if a bit of emotion was in Mari’s voice, but the neutrality of her tone kept Yuuri on edge. " ** _Where_** _did_ ** _that_** _alpha_ ** _hurt_** _you?"_

"There's a bite mark on my left shoulder that still stings," Yuuri whispered. Smelling Phichit's faint scent on his undershirt helped steady his trembling hands. "The wound was cleaned right after the incident. No infections as of now."

" _And."_ It wasn't a question but a command.

"And..." Yuuri's voice trailed off. His throat tightened up, and he could barely breathe. Gone was Phichit's reassuring scent as fear crippled Yuuri from the inside out. The safety of the kitchen was shattered from haunting images and sensations as an alpha breathed down his neck, snapping his jaws when he found Yuuri’s weak spot. Yuuri flinched. He turned around. There was no one.

" _Yuuri?"_

 _Don't listen to me._ Yuuri tried to control his breathing, but he was hyperventilating. His knees and shoulders shook so much that he couldn't sit straight. Yuuri instinctively draped his undershirt over his head, counting from one to ten to steady his breathing. The only thing that kept Yuuri sane was his sister's voice.

"C-Claw marks." The words had to force themselves out of Yuuri's throat. " _It'll fade into scars if I'm lucky_."

As Yuuri trembled, Mari shushed softly in his ear, telling him that she was here for him. From an overview, most would sneer and laugh at the thought of a beta quaking in their boots because of an alpha encounter.  _What use is a beta to an alpha?_ They would say.  _Betas mean nothing._ And that was where they were wrong. If they saw Yuuri now, they would rush to his side and try to comfort him, letting him lean on their shoulder if he wanted to. If they found out that he was a beta, they would move away sharply and pretend to not notice.

" _Yuuri, I'll be on my way. Just stay put. I'll be there for you."_

"No." Yuuri shook his head. "I'm going to see Minako."

" _Can you? It's  dark."_

" _I'm_  an officer, Mari." Yuuri clenched his fist and punched his knee cap. The trembling subsided almost immediately. "How can I get anything done if I'm afraid of the dark?" There was a pause on the line, and then Mari hung up. Slipping the phone back into his pocket, Yuuri wandered around the apartment room for something new to wear. He couldn't exactly waltz out in public while Phichit's scent was on him. It'll turn too many heads, and Yuuri didn't need attention.  _Especially at night._ Slipping into a fresh set of clothes, Yuuri dusted baking powder through his hair and washed it out. Feeling his usual-self kick in, Yuuri slipped out into the darkness.

The streets were crowded, alphas walking with their collars popped while a few omegas wandered about with a few drinks in hand. If Yuuri was on duty, he would've escorted the omegas to a safe spot or at least call a taxi for them. Not tonight. With his nerves on edge and with alphas skulking around,  _mated or not_ , it was better to fade into the background than be noticed at all. Yuuri was rather surprised that nobody turned to look at him. Did they ignore the scent, or were they oblivious? Still, the lingering scent of the ruthless alpha never left Yuuri. No matter how hard he scrubbed.

Stopping by the bar that Minako worked at, Yuuri sat in a lonely _corner_ _,_ a better view to watch the scene in front of him as usual drinkers filed in. From the bar counter, Minako noticed Yuuri as she refilled a woman's drink. Within a minute, she was on her way towards Yuuri with a pen and pad of paper in her hands. The click of her heels numbed Yuuri's senses.  _A bead of sweat ran down his neck._

"What will you are having tonight, Sir?"

It was a duet for two, and he couldn't leave Minako hanging. Tipping back in his seat, a cocky grin tugged his lips. "I'll have your special of the night. I believe it's a fine cocktail with a  _natural feel_  to it."

Minako scribbled on her pad of paper before bowing her head. Within two minutes, a lovely dame came to set the cocktail glass in front of Yuuri. Giving his thanks, Yuuri watched the girl sashay back to the counter. A whiff of something sweet caught his nose.  _Omega_. There was no doubt about it, and the dame's scent turned several heads. Yuuri drank slowly, watching Minako from the corner of his eye. Minako gave him a subtle wink before retreating to the storage room. Before Yuuri realized it, Minako pulled out a chair and sat next to him.

"What do you think?" Yuuri mumbled, cocktail glass pressed to his lips. Minako took a quick glance at Yuuri’s face.

"Ugly. How bad is the bite?" Yuuri tugged his collar, and Minako grimaced when she saw the wound. She shook her head. "They're still letting you out on the field?"

" _Parking ticket extraordinaire at your service_."

Minako rolled her eyes. "To think that we're the only betas in the city. You would think that there’ll be more." A small conversation went on for a while before Minako had to return to her shift. A hint of nutmeg lingered in the air, and that was Minako's scent. It wasn't from scent glands or from a perfume. It was Minako's natural scent, and smelling a hint of that eased Yuuri considerably.

There was always something special about smelling a scent from someone like you. Omegas naturally huddled together to rub their scents on the other for comfort and bonding. Alphas only scented each other if they were friends to death do they part. For betas— _or for Yuuri, especially—_ being around the company of another beta gave a comfort and trust that neither omegas nor alphas could give. Talking with Minako always eased Yuuri's mind, reminding him that he wasn't alone and that he had someone that he could count on. Now that Yuuri thought about it, when did he become so interested in who people were?

Suddenly, a blast of hormones slapped Yuuri like a brick. Wrinkling his nose, he looked around and saw...a kid? It looked like a kid, but how could a child get into a bar without proper identification? Not to mention, why was the kid staring at him? Was it the scratch? Yuuri looked away, but the kid was walking up to his table with a huge grin. The scent wafting off the child made Yuuri's head spin. He had to leave.  _Now._

"Hi, are you Katsuki Yuuri?" Those sparkling eyes shone brighter than the stars in the sky. Yuuri tried to nod, but his eyes weren't focused on the boy. Everyone was staring at them, staring at the little omega boy who was completely unaware of how his scent was influencing everyone on the scene. "I'm your biggest—”

Yuuri held the boy close and escorted him out of the bar, ignoring the burning stares. Out in fresh air, Yuuri dug through his pockets and pulled out a charm necklace. Kneeling down, he tied it around the youth’s neck. Eventually, the thick omega scent drifted away and the stars in Yuuri's mind were replaced by a blushing boy who couldn't believe that Yuuri was so close.

"I'm your biggest fan, and you've inspired me for so many years because you're the first beta officer in the city. Your determination and sense of duty lit a fire in me and I want to follow under your footsteps and—” Okay, Yuuri wasn't expecting a full-on autobiography. The kid noticed that and unleashed a toothy grin. "The name's Minami, and I’m going to be the first omega officer at your service~"

A bubbling warmth settled in Yuuri's heart as he watched Minami gesture all about. A familiar memory settled in Yuuri's mind, reminding him of the person he used to be years ago. But, it was getting late and tickets weren't going to issue themselves. Yuri walked Minami back to the latter's home, and Minami offered a hug. Yuuri bent down slowly and felt Minami's arms envelope him. It was a warm hug, and Yuuri instinctively nuzzled his nose against Minami's shoulder, catching a whiff of the boy’s fruity scent from under the charm necklace.

"Mr. Katsuki, what's this necklace for?"

"It suppresses your scent, and it's a lot more reliable than alpha-repellents." Pulling back, Yuuri subconsciously reached out to ruffle Minami's hair. His fingers froze just before they could touch and fell back to his side. Keeping his distance, Yuuri warned Minami not to travel alone at night before bidding the boy a goodnight. When Yuuri returned to the apartment room, he collapsed onto the couch and closed his eyes. The charm necklace:  _a gift that was meant for Phichit, but Minami needed it more instead._ Gritting his teeth, Yuuri rolled onto his side and clawed at the bite wound on his left shoulder.  _Phichit is okay. He's safe._

Growling under his breath, Yuuri's fingernails dug deeper into his wound until blood spilled. His breathing remained unsteady all night and when he woke up, his arm was crusted with dried blood. Despite the blood loss, Yuuri managed to get up, clean his wound and his arm, bandage his injury and prepare for the day.  Despite that, Yuuri lingered a little longer in Phichit's empty room than usual. He really needed to clean the room before Phichit's discharge from the hospital. But if he cleaned up, it meant that everything was fine. Scavenging through Phichit's old nest, Yuuri found a t-shirt and wore it.

It didn't matter to him that Phichit's scent was on it. He didn't care if people thought he was an omega. Having his friend at least close by to calm his nerves was what Yuuri needed. Stumbling out of the room, the morning went by in a haze as Yuuri stepped out into the world.

Parking ticket duty...The most danger Yuuri experienced that morning was when an alpha approached and asked him if he had spare change for a twenty. Fishing the bills from his wallet, Yuuri ignored the alpha's stare as he handed over the money.  Later, Yuuri realized that the alpha was staring at the claw mark on the left-side of his face. He really needed to do something about that. But the day was still young, and Yuuri _was_ recovering.

 _If I was a character, something life-altering would happen so that I can get back up._ It was a dull idea in the middle of the morning, but it managed to pass the time as Yuuri went by, checking parking meters and writing tickets if need be.

" _Let me go!"_

An alpha's scent was heavy in the air, an omega's scent spelled despair, and the crying voice pierced the veil of public peace. Yuuri ran. At the corner with a crowd forming, a mated alpha restrained a feisty blonde in her arms as she tied a muzzle over the boy's mouth. Lashing out, the teen fought tooth and nail before getting wrestled into submission as the alpha tightened the muzzle straps. Her omega told her to stop, but the alpha hissed and kept the blonde pinned to the ground. Yuuri broke into the circle and pulled the alpha off the teen.

"Whose side on you on?!"

"Miss, you're disturbing the peace, you're assaulting a teen, and muzzles are unethical under the court case of  _Crispino vs. Lee."_ Yuuri reached for his back pocket and... _Right, people would assume that parking ticket disturbers didn't need to arrest people._

"Under the case of attacks from an unmated alpha terrorizing and endangering lives, I have the right to protect my mate from danger."

"What evidence do you have that the teen is an alpha?"

"Only an  _alpha_ would have a hot-headed temperament like the kid." She gestured at the teen with her eyes. The teen growled back, trying to yank the muzzle off of him. "Only an  _alpha_ would dare look at someone's mate and try to steal them for their own personal gain. We need these _savages_ off the street and detained!"

"Miss, you're following under a stereotype that could also applies to yourself." If looks could kill, Yuuri was already dead.

"Are you calling me a cheat?" Her mate pulled her back, trying to calm her down. The alpha shoved her omega aside. "You're an officer. Aren't you supposed to protect the public's interest?"

It wasn't just the alpha, or her omega, or even the blonde teen that was staring at him. More bystanders paused to listen to Yuuri's answer. It was all too soon, and Yuuri wanted to back away. But, his feet were firm on the ground and he took a step forward instead.

"As an officer, I  _do_  have the job of protecting the public's interest. However, I can't turn a blind eye and follow needless prejudice against a bystander. Judgement is served to those found guilty, not to those who never had a chance to speak their side of the story."

" _You're one of them,”_ _the_ alpha spat. " You probably don't even care about the state of danger that my mate has to deal with because of all the shit unmated alphas pull themselves into!" Yuuri would lying if he said that the alpha's words didn't bother him. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Was this alpha _for real_?

Yes, new stories were slow to come by. However, Yuuri saw his story get published. He saw it uploaded on the internet and shared amongst thousands in the city. His injuries were showcased to the world. His bravery and commitment to save a life was not exaggerated by any stretch of the imagination. Yuuri proved his willingness to put the recent serial unmated alpha to justice, and he bore the battle scars to prove it. All the rage that Yuuri never got to use exploded. A menacing growl escaped from his lips,  _a growl that even shook the judgmental alpha into fear._  She stepped back, arm in front of her omega in case Yuuri attacked.

 But as soon as the rage came out, Yuuri felt the fall back as a familiar scent came around the corner. A hand rested on Yuuri’s good shoulder and gently pulled him back. It was an alpha officer,  _Viktor Nikiforov._ Grimacing, Yuuri turned his back on the scene and rushed to help untie the muzzle off the struggling teen. With an established dominance dissipating the burning violence on the scene, the female alpha backed down from the fight.

With that, everything went back to normal. The tips of Yuuri's ears wetr red when he heard the passing whispers that were directed to him.

" _An alpha saves the day as always."_

_"Poor parking meter dude. It's probably his first day on the force."_

_"That omega sure has guts to fight against an alpha."_

People were so quick to judge his character without knowing it, but Yuuri understood where that person was coming from. After all, Phichit's scent on his shirt was still strong enough to be detected. It wasn't the person's fault that they mislabeled Yuuri, but his heart cracked a little more. When did Yuuri care about secondary-dynamics?

Yuuri’s ears were still red, even after he took the muzzle off the teen. Mouthing a thank-you, he was about to scamper—

" _Yuri,_ where do you think  _you're_  going?" The blonde was walking anyway. Viktor followed him and poked the back of the teen's head. "I don't think you understand how reports work."

"Don't need it."

"I'm helping you get compensation." Viktor pulled Yuri back to the scene of the crime. " _Work with me_. If you turn out to be a beta, I could—”

" _It's only omegas and alphas who get compensation for situations like this."_ The words came out of Yuuri's mouth as if he was talking about the weather. Viktor turned his head. Yuri looked up to Viktor, eyes pressed with a longing stare. Viktor couldn't meet the teen's eyes.

Yuri's lip trembled. "Are you for real?" The question was directed to Yuuri. The officer nodded, eyes caught sight of the police badge that was proudly on Viktor's chest. Yuuri's fingers instinctively reached for his own chest, but they pulled away and relaxed at his side.

"It's an  _alpha/omega_  world.  _If you're an omega_ , you can have that alpha fined, courted, and possibly jailed depending on the trauma you experienced after the incident." Hands deep in his pockets, Yuuri tilted his head. " _If you're an alpha_ , you can bring the incident to court and have that alpha jailed because muzzle-use was ruled unethical and dehumanizing." Yuuri wasn't blind when he saw Yuri flinch at the word " _muzzle"._ Even more so, he wasn't blind when Viktor seemed to shrink back at the word.

It didn't surprise Yuuri one bit when he saw the reaction. Even with trusted officers who had clean records, the stigma of being an unmated alpha left troubling thoughts in the public's mind. The fact that there were a few as law enforcers pushed the issue further that muzzles-use had to be legal. Yuuri had read the forums and new articles, and they always left a bitter taste in his mouth.  _Even so_ —Yuuri crouched down and looked up to Yuri— _even with how chaotic the city had become_ —Yuuri didn't have a scent, but the teen before him eased from his cool attitude— _Yuuri made a promise to defend the defenseless._

"What were you doing before the female alpha attacked you?"

"I was going down the street to buy a few things for my Mom. Just minding my own business and accidently bumped into that  _bitch's_ omega." Yuuri didn't call the blonde out on the profanity. A duoble-meaning word had its place. "I was in the middle of apologizing when the alpha ripped me away from her mate, and she pulled a muzzle on me."

"Where did she get the muzzle?"

Yuri shrugged. "I don't think it was from her mate. She didn't look like the kind of person who would carry something like that."

"Considering that they're  _technically illegal_ , I would assume so as well." Yuuri jotted down the notes on a blank police ticket. "What did the alpha tell you?"

Yuri looked to Viktor, and Viktor gave him a sharp nod. "While I was struggling, she was saying things that I didn't really understand."

"Slurs?"

"Probably."

Attacks weren't the only ones to leave scars. Words had their own impact. Yuri looked fine on the outside, probably bruised from being manhandled and forced against his will. But other than the physical signs that Yuuri could see, the teen's eyes reflected a sinister flame that was in the heart of the city. The black flames engulfed Yuri's eyes, and he flinched when Yuuri got up and hugged him. Yuri tried to run. His legs didn't want to move, and a broken soul was holding Yuri up before he crumbled too. The teen blinked, tears running down his face.  _What?_ The tears dripped down his cheeks and chin.  _Why?_ Yuri hugged back, tightly.

Yuuri shushed softly in the teen's ear, tracing little circles on Yuri's back. Yuuri didn't care that his clothes were stained with tears. He didn't care that bystanders were passing by, spreading rumors through the air. He thought that it was nice when Viktor turned away to let the two Yuris have a private moment. A light scent caught Yuuri's attention, and he realized that it was coming from the sobbing teen in his arms. It was faint, almost non-existent to most noses. Yuuri's nose wasn't like other noses. He held Yuri close and remembered the scent.

" _The case is cold."_ Viktor tipped his head back, bangs covering his eyes. " _We have no leads."_

_"The investigation?"_

For the first time, Yuuri truly saw how aged Viktor had become. The older officer looked... _worn-out, and his posture was beginning to hunch over._ Viktor couldn't reply back. It truly was the darkest hour, despite there being so much sun. When Yuri managed to calm down, he gave his thanks to Yuuri and saluted Viktor before running off. Yuuri's eyes never left the boy until he safely made it around the corner.

Viktor cleared his throat. " _Yuuri_ , you really shouldn't be wearing an omega's scent."

" _It's my roommate's_."

Viktor froze in his tracks. He didn't look back at Yuuri, nor did he have a comment to add. Viktor simply looked forward, away from the sun and towards the promising clouds. "What time does your shift end?"

"Why?"

Viktor hummed a little tune. "I know a good noodle shop that serves pork cutlet bowls." Yuuri could almost hear the smile in Viktor's tone. " _I'm kind of nervous to go alone_." Yuuri perked up. He had heard that tone before back at the bar where Minako worked at. It was a staged duet, and he couldn't exactly leave Viktor hanging.

_“Shift ends at five."_

Viktor didn't need to scribble it down into his schedule. The time was already branded in his memories. Honestly, how Yuuri was able to go eat dinner with another human being was interesting at best.  _Especially since said "human being" was a fellow officer, who happened to be an unmated alpha._ Again, Yuuri wondered when he started caring about secondary-dynamics. When Yuuri had the guts to touch the injury on his face without flinching, he knew the answer all along. The wound on his shoulder still stung, but Yuuri hid his grimace when he saw Viktor emerge from the police department's locker room in loose casual clothing.

They kept their distance while they walked, Viktor leading Yuuri down a lit street towards the noodle shop he mentioned earlier that day. The jingling bells, the waft of seasonings and noodle dough, and the cozy atmosphere calmed Yuuri down. Enough to make Yuuri a little brave when he pulled Viktor's seat out. The gesture happened organically, and Viktor had already reached for Yuuri's chair first. Yuuri didn't say anything. He simply waited for Viktor to sit down before gently pushing Viktor closer to the table.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Yuuri mumbled, pulling the menu over his face. Viktor reached over to pull the menu down so that he could see Yuuri while they talked. Their conversations remained light and pleasant before and after their orders were made. Swirling the ice cubes in his drink with a straw, Viktor's eyes focused briefly on the horrific scratch over Yuuri's cheek. The latter wasn't blind to the action, and Viktor's scent was already beginning to change.

"How is Phichit?"

"No injuries. Recovering from the incident, of course." Yuuri barely met Viktor's eyes. "Currently in counseling with another omega. To get the thoughts across."  _Relax._ Yuuri's heart quickened.  _It's alright._ His lungs began to hurt, but Yuuri never stopped breathing.

"That's good." Viktor leaned back in his seat. " _You saved someone."_

"I wouldn't go that far." Twiddling his thumbs, Yuuri glanced to his left. "I barely did anything."

"No need to be humble, Yuuri. Saving an innocent life from a horrible ordeal has its place, and you deserve to be recognized for your effort."

"You're kind.  _Way too kind._ " Yuuri sipped his water, almost downing the glass in one drink.

"I don't tell lies." Viktor tapped his mouth with his finger. "The truth I see is that you were a respectable officer that was perfect to lead the investigation. You had no bias, you had nothing tying you down to traditions or stereotypes, and your sniffer's the strongest nose on the force."

"What's the catch?"

"It doesn't hurt to accept a compliment, Yuuri." The conversation was put on hold when the pork cutlet bowls arrived to their table. As if a distant memory flew in, Yuuri's eyes began to water. The savory waft of the pork bowl reminded him of his dear mother,  _the one woman who knew how to make a pork cutlet bowl a pork cutlet bowl times ten._ The soft noodles brought back memories of his dear father working noodle dough in the middle of the night, his hands over Yuuri's as he helped his son knead dough for the first time. Biting into the pork, Yuuri could almost hear Mari telling him to slow down or he'll choke on a cutlet. Yuuri brought the bowl close and savored each bite.

" _Do you feel better?"_

Yuuri lowered his bowl. Viktor was eating at an easy pace. Chopsticks poised to snag another noodle strand, Viktor gave Yuuri a soft smile.

"You haven't been eating much, have you?"

"My first meal in two days," Yuuri admitted, shoveling a pork cutlet into his mouth.

Viktor  _tsked_ , but it wasn't a rude one. An acknowledging one, perhaps? "Don't beat yourself up. If you do, the ones that count on you won't have you when they need you most."

For the first time in days, Yuuri laughed. Viktor almost dropped his noodle. Hearing Yuuri laugh and seeing him smile resonated something in Viktor's heart. For the first time, the usual frown was turned upside down, ready to collect the tears that Yuuri was brave enough to shed.

"Did you think of that or did you Google it?"

Viktor gasped, throwing a hand to his chest. "Are you accusing my originality?'

" _Maybe."_  Yuuri looked at Viktor in the eye and winked. After dinner, the excitement dulled slightly as Viktor and Yuuri were out on the streets again. Viktor walked slow and felt Yuuri's hand almost brushing his. Yuuri's pace matched Viktor's, and he wasn't looking away anymore. For once, nothing horrible was happening. No arguments, no fear, no hatred. Just simple bliss and joy. Yuuri held Viktor's hand as the two passed by a warehouse. Viktor walked faster and Yuuri copied it. The warehouse disappeared in the distance, but Yuuri didn't let go of Viktor's hand until he was safely back at his apartment.

"This is it."

Yuuri rubbed his shoes together. "We both knew it was going to end like this."

Viktor never turned his back on Yuuri until the officer was up the stairs and right in front of his apartment room door. Even after Yuuri got in, Viktor stayed where he was for a little while longer. A week before, Yuuri had walked in Viktor's shoes. He had seen people come and go, broken arguments and brought justice to a lawless scene, treated a rookie to a meal after a tough first day, and walked Phichit home while still on duty. Yuuri had stood where Viktor stood and watched his roommate go up to their apartment room before turning his back. It was funny how one incident could change everything. Perhaps Yuuri needed a better way to settle the demons in his head. He wasn't going to bleed anymore.

When Phichit woke up that morning, he expected to see a nurse or two come into his room, check on his vitals, stay for a small chat, and pull the back the curtains so that he could look out the window. Sometimes, they would carry a tray of breakfast up to him. Sometimes, he would have to reach for the tray of breakfast that they left on his nightstand. If Phichit didn't want to look out the window, he had the old TV to watch. Only three channels worked:  _the news, a cooking channel, and a kids' network._

When Phichit woke up that morning, there was no one. At first, he  _thought_ there was no one. No voices, no trays of breakfast, the curtains were still over his window, and he was alone. He perked up when he smelled flowers,  _lilacs to be specific._ Rising from the thin covers, Phichit noticed a chair by the room door. Sitting on the chair was a man with a bouquet of lilacs. Earbuds in his ear, the man's eyes were closed, arms crossed. Phichit's chest felt lighter as a burning grin seared joy across his face. Phichit  _only_ smelled lilacs.

"Yuuri."

And the man opened his eyes and looked back at Phichit with warm ones. "Phichit."

Time was weary for all souls, but Time was lenient to let the drifting seconds freeze. Whether from the heart or from the soul, an embrace conveyed more words than a mouth could say. Phichit enveloped Yuuri with his warmth and sweet-nature, drawing slow circles along the officer’s back while humming a little lullaby. Yuuri’s arms hung loosely around Phichit; his embrace grew tighter when Phichit adjusted himself. A familiar scent eased Yuuri’s nerves, but he inched his nose away from Phichit’s exposed neck. Resting his chin on his roommate’s shoulder, Yuuri pulled Phichit close, _closer than any person he had ever hugged._

“ _I missed you a lot,”_ Phichit said. “ _Every day, you were in my thoughts. Just knowing that you’re out in the world alone gave me the strength to push through these past few days. I want to go back. I want to stand next to you instead of running away when I could’ve done something.”_

Through the slippery words and tangled arms, Yuuri found his paradise. With that paradise, he found a VHS tape, lying forgotten on a floor that bore no reflections. And when Yuuri bent down to pick it up, there was a memory there that he was too afraid to watch alone. Yuuri wasn’t alone. Phichit stood at his side, and Yuuri felt the memory sink in.

“Do you remember that night a few days ago?” Phichit froze. Yuuri buried his face into his friend’s shoulder. _Of course, you remember._

_Phichit and Yuuri were young and wild sprites that didn’t care too much about their ranking in Life’s jewelry box. Being an omega had no influence on Phichit because he simply followed where his dreams led him, and those dreams led him to a food bloggers life where recipes and tips galore flooded his page. Being a beta had no influence on Yuuri because he simply followed where his dreams led him, and those dreams led him to be an officer. An officer who was solving a cruel case for the past ten months without rest._

Phichit pulled away from Yuuri slightly. “You ask as if I forgot already.”

_Phichit gone. Phichit disappeared. Phichit vanished in thin air. It had to be a lie. No, it couldn’t happen. The name and the picture in the folder before Yuuri had to be a lie. There was no way, but there was a way. The name was no lie. The picture was exactly who Yuuri thought it’d be, and his blood ran cold. Missing for almost eight hours. Where did Phichit and he last meet? Yuuri rushed out of his seat, hand at his badge and gun at his heart._

_He and Phichit last met that morning, just before Yuuri left for work. Phichit smelled like pancakes because he flipped a few in the kitchen ten minutes before for breakfast. He had a flower apron on, and he promised to make Yuuri a pork cutlet bowl for dinner that night. Or, at least go buy a take-out one._

“I’m not questioning your memory.” Yuuri eased himself out of Phichit’s arms. “I came here as a friend, not an officer.”

“You’re always my buddy cop,” Phichit whispered, lying back in bed as Yuuri pulled back the curtains.

_Rush. Dazed. Hurried. Night was upon him. Where was Phichit? Ten months of stalking a sick alpha, and this was as far as Yuuri could go? His fingers fumbled with his gun, back pressed against the wall of a warehouse. There was no mistaking it. Lilacs were leaking out of the warehouse all day. Why didn’t he notice it sooner? Yuuri kicked down the door. Why? Yuuri followed his nose. Why? Phichit collapsed on the ground, arms tied behind his back. Why? Phichit screamed at him to watch out._

Yuuri refused to look at the morning sun. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. “What good am I if I can’t do anything?” Yuuri touched his left shoulder, nails digging into the injury.

_Tackled onto the ground, Yuuri felt his arms and legs pinned down by a monster. His gun flew out of his hands, disappearing into the darkness. Heavy panting echoed in his ears, and Yuuri screeched as teeth burrowed into his shoulder. His left shoulder. Phichit stumbled to his feet, but Yuuri ordered him to run. Run while he still could. Tears streamed down his eyes, but Phichit didn’t run. He stood there, pale faced from the horror before his eyes. Another scream rocked Yuuri’s world._

_Reduced to whimpering, Yuuri reached for his face and saw blood. The fire of an alpha’s claws seared what dignity Yuuri had left, and he was at the very mercy of the man he had been hunting for almost a year. It didn’t matter that Phichit was gone like a thief in the night. It didn’t matter that the alpha’s little game was almost over. In front of the alpha was a trembling beta, and he saw the fear reflected in Yuuri’s eyes._

“Yuuri.” Yuuri turned around and saw Phichit staring back at him. Hands pressed in a prayer and by his lips, Phichit hesitated. The lingering ashes of a night long gone caught a flame, and that fire scorched in Phichit’s eyes. “What happened that night when I was gone?”

_When did Yuuri grow limp? When did he melt when the alpha caressed his bloody cheek? When did Yuuri lose the will to fight?_

“I—” Yuuri clenched his fist.

_The angry claw marks etched on his back, the hasty kisses that left him breathless and weak, the brittle arms and hands that could barely hold back an individual. An individual who found what made Yuuri scream._

“I…” Yuuri’s voice trailed off.

_An omega doctor told him to look to his right. Yuuri did so, staring at the ground. Staring at the foreign shoes that all looked alike. An omega doctor told him to look to his left. Yuuri felt the flash of a camera. His wounds was captured in all its glory. Someone unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it down. Yuuri simply stared at the floor, barely registering the voices around him._

Phichit brought a finger to his lips, and Yuuri nodded.

_His back wasn’t photographed. Deemed too dangerous and horrific. Yuuri tilted his head, seeing his back’s reflection from a mirror. The scratches so deep that you could see the mini-tunnels the alpha’s claws dug in Yuuri’s flesh. A doctor disinfected and stitched the wounds, one by one. Someone said his name. Someone said that he was off the case. For good._

_“Chief, you can’t do that! Katsuki has been on the case since the beginning. It’ll destroy him.”_

_“Nikiforov, look at the man before you. He’s not fit to lead a case. Not fit to do anything besides shit, sleep, and eat until he recovers.”_

_“Sir—”_

_“I’ve made my decision. You’ll be leading the case from here on out.”_

_Viktor stepped down. “I can’t.”_

_“You can.”_

_“I’ve only been in this case for a fraction of the amount of time Katsuki has been in it. I can’t.”_

_“And I’m telling you that you can, because you’re an alpha and you know your place. Katsuki doesn’t understand the severity of these incidents until justice is served, and justice needs to be served right.”_

_Viktor shook his head. “You’re making a big mistake.”_

_“I know.” The words could’ve passed off as nothing more than a whisper. Footsteps left the room. Yuuri didn’t follow them. A set of footsteps approached him but decided to leave instead. However, those footsteps paused at the door before going out. A nurse came in to clean his shoulder wound. Another came in to clean the claw marks on the left side of his face. A doctor strolled in to announce that Yuuri was okay. That he could leave. Yuuri got up, and his bare footsteps echoed down the hallway._

Yuuri found his way into Phichit’s arms, the latter holding him close before Yuuri could fall.

_Darkness enveloped Yuuri when he arrived home. No cheer. No Phichit. Yuuri stumbled into the bathroom and showered. Peeling his clothes off, Yuuri smacked his forehead against the shower wall. Barely flinched when hot water ran down his broken body. Hair dripping, Yuuri shuffled into his room without a towel. Pulled on some clothes, lie on the sofa in the living room, pull the knees against the chest and breathe. Breathe until feelings break through the glacier in the heart. Breathe until the body drowns in tears. Breathe._

**_What if I was an omega?_ **

“I’m sorry. I’m so… _so sorry_.” Yuuri sank back into reality. Why was Phichit crying? “ _If I…I should’ve done something instead of run away. I should’ve fought for you. I should’ve gotten help sooner. I should’ve…I should’ve—!”_

It was Yuuri’s turn to draw circles over Phichit’s back. “Nothing could’ve been done to prevent it.” Phichit cried on Yuuri’s shoulder, and the latter held his friend up. All the tears, all the frustrated emotions, everything was falling. Yet, Phichit and Yuuri held the other up. “It wasn’t—”

“It _was_ my fault.” And Phichit wasn’t going to argue over it. “You know damn well that I’m not supposed to be here. It’s supposed to be _you!_ You need help, you need counseling, and you need me to visit you. Why am I here?” Phichit punched Yuuri’s chest, but the blows were weak. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“You’re an—”

“ _We promised each other that secondary-genders meant nothing. That I’m Phichit, and that you’re Yuuri. That we’re people, not labels.”_

“I wouldn’t have received help either way.” Yuuri held Phichit up. “But in turn, I found others that were also broken and lifted them up. I found people who cared for me in their own special way, and their words kept me strong.” Yuuri shushed softly in Phichit’s ear. “So don’t apologize, Phichit. You did what was best at the time. Save or be saved. You picked your choice.”

“ _A kiss makes the heart young again and wipes out the tears.”_ Phichit leaned forward, pulled back Yuuri’s bangs, and kissed the latter’s forehead. Squeezing Yuuri one last time, Phichit lied back in bed. Yuuri tucked Phichit in, leaning down to peck his roommate’s cheek before leaving. “Yuuri?”

“Hmm?”

“I feel better.”

Yuuri tugged his collar. “I’ll see you at home. Get better for me.”

A new dawn pulled a tooth out of Yuuri’s shoulder as he ventured to the bar Minako worked at. The woman was by the counter, wiping shot glasses and barely turned her head when Yuuri sat in front of her. A can Sprite was on the house, but Yuuri didn’t touch it. Minako pulled the can back and poured its contents into a nice drinking glass. The fizzles rose along with the ice, and Minako dropped a mini-umbrella to the side.

She drew her cleaning rag over her shoulder as another round of glasses was set before her. “This city needs more officers like you.” Minako looked up and saw the lit flame in Yuuri’s eyes. “I have information, but you’ll have to detour to the office to get a word more than me.”

Yuuri sipped his Sprite. “Word on the street?”

Minako leaned over Yuuri’s ear. “ _Another omega targeted. Police are on the alpha’s trail, but ain’t finding anything.”_ Yuuri rose from his seat, and Minako grabbed his wrist. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Yuuri never turned his back on his teacher. He stood in front of her as equals, and Minako picked up a new scent in the air. “If I was afraid of the dark, I’d get nothing done. _Okukawa.”_

A pressed grin tugged Minako’s lip. She let Yuuri go. Shaking her head, she turned her back on Yuuri and wiped down a dirty shot glass. “Come home. Your family misses you.”

“Tell Mari and my parents that I send them my love.” Yuuri was out of the nest like a fledgling ready to soar again, and Minako could only watch as the fledgling fluttered and soared with the breeze. Catching up to the sparrows that thought they’d never see the fledgling flutter again. Down every hallway Yuuri walked through, his fellow officers stopped and stared at him. A new persona filled his shoes, giving Yuuri the strength to push onwards. Yet in his heart, the old _Katsuki Yuuri_ resided and gave short waves to the companions he had grown to trust through the police academy.

A familiar manila folder lied on his desk, but he ignored it. Yuuri pulled back his filing cabinets, unearthing bulging volumes of information that lawyers dreamed about. Every case, every picture, every description, name, setting, and even the recovery reports of the victimized omegas were detailed. Yuuri ran a finger down the second to last case. A case that left an omega and his mate dead for the police to find them. Yuuri skimmed the picture and paged through the written notes by his own hand.

The omega’s mate got too close, and both were killed. The night when Yuuri was attacked, the serial-alpha had planned to kill him. The bite wound left its defining mark on Yuuri for sure, but the alpha didn’t kill him. He didn’t even kill Phichit as well. Why? Why keep two survivors after a chilling murder? Yuuri looked up when a cold manila folder landed on his desk. It was Viktor, but the Viktor before Yuuri was much older than the one he recognized from back at the academy.

This Viktor was faded, pale, growing with obvious tears, and heavy bags lied under his eyes. Yuuri could only remember how he felt when he was in Viktor’s shoes. Opening the folder, Yuuri skimmed through the latest case report. Viktor cleared his throat.

“We need you more than ever.”

“We both can get fired for this.” Yuuri paused and whistled between his teeth. “ _We’ll be more than fired.”_

“Charred, perhaps?”

It was okay to crack a quick grin before going through the details of the case report. _Loss and disappearance of…_ Yuuri’s skimming finger froze over the name. _That_ name. A boy with light hair with a red dyed streak along the side came into Yuuri’s mind. The spunky kid with the toothy grins, and the overwhelming scent that definitely singled him out as an omega. The boy who had the necklace that helped suppress his scent, _a gift given by Yuuri just the other day._ A necklace fell onto the case report.

“Found at the scene of the crime. Yuri, _the teen you helped out the day before_ , is being interrogated as we speak. Last witness of Minami Kenjiro, and the finder of this necklace.” Viktor held up the necklace by the chain, the faded crystal reflecting a pink light over Yuuri’s heart. Viktor shrugged. “You know this case better than me. What would _Yuuri_ do?”

When Yuuri managed to tear his eyes away from the new report, Yuuri glanced back at the old ones. His foot tapped impatiently against the floor, syncing with the heartbeats that held their breaths until Yuuri finally rose from his seat.

“One cased murder, several assaults, and a kidnapping as of now.” Yuuri paced back and forth, _a strange rhythm working its way to his twiddling thumbs._ “A progression? A change?”

“Something new for the media to pick-up,” Viktor suggested. Yuuri stopped in his tracks.

“Something new to keep the media on its toes. Something despicable to be written down in history. Something traumatizing to still strike fear after the culprit’s long dead.” Yuuri rubbed his thumb over his facial injury.

“You’re saying that this is all for media?”

“It’s all cookie crumbs for the grand finale,” Yuuri whispered. “You would think he would’ve killed me, but I’m here today with the scars to bear.”

“A bug up the brain?” Viktor did the circles with his finger for add emphasize, but Yuuri shook his head.

“More like, he wants to see a reaction that keeps getting bigger. A theatrical performance that leaves the audience wanting until the final bang. Boom. Curtains go down, and everything fades to black.”

Viktor rolled his eyes. “I would’ve paid good money to see a show like that for an hour and a half.”

“And I got lines to deliver for the final act.” Yuuri rushed past Viktor and out the hallway. Viktor stood back, watching the phoenix rise from its ashes. Calling officers from all lines of work, Viktor rushed to the interrogation hall just as Yuri stumbled out, a doughnut in hand. If a play was meant for two, obvious actors needed to take stage. Whether it was a big performance with a crucial monologue, or a passing scene to gain the audience’s sympathy, every character was needed. Even the smallest with just a few lines.

At dusk’s march, Yuuri entered a warehouse on his own. The weight of that action alone was enough to make his back burn, but Viktor was whispering encouragements through Yuuri’s earpiece as the other Yuri broke in to give the officer a general layout of the warehouse. No stories. One empty space. An abandoned empty space rumored to be worth less than it was used. Yuuri didn’t question the other Yuri, but he was more than happy to know that the case had touched more than just one generation.

“ _I’m not doing this for you or for the payback for the other day,”_ Yuri reminded him. “ _I’m doing this for Minami.”_

“Thank you.”

And everything fell into place. An all too familiar scene. Minami chirping and sobbing when he saw Yuuri, almost fluttering over to the officer like a wounded fledgling if he could. Yuuri rushed and untied the kid, hoisting Minami up in his arms. The alpha nowhere in sight. And when the night thought it was calm, a blazing light pierced the darkness and nearly ran into Yuuri. A getaway car speeding out of the warehouse and into the darkness. Flashing red and blues followed the car, and Minami held his ground and told Yuuri to go.

“Be the hero I know you’re meant to be!”

Those words echoed in Yuuri’s mind as he ran. Weaving through shipment boxes, dodging tackled steel cans, skidding across the dock when the getaway car was pulled over as a barrage of police cars filed through. The alpha escaped and stumbled across the pier. A lonely boat tied to the dock.

Yuuri tackled the alpha, wrestling him to the ground. Punches thrown, kicks issued, a senseless tug-of-war as neither man backed down for even just a second. The alpha truly crumbled under Yuuri as the officer fought back with every pain and with every memory in his fists. One jab for the couple that lost their lives. One jab for his dear friend who almost lost his. Countless jabs for the victims that never did recover. A finishing blow that hurt that told the very story that Yuuri was forced to carry for the rest of his life.

Yuuri kept hitting, even after the alpha surrendered. It hit Yuuri. He could kill the alpha. He could. The alpha was under him, struggling and weak. The alpha was scared of him, _a beta._ The alpha cowered when Yuuri raised his fist, but the latter didn’t throw it down. Yuuri backed away, panting and rubbing his bruised knuckles. Was this the ending he wanted to tell? Was this the story he wanted people to hear? An officer beating a crook to the ground, or a man that was given a chance to earn the punishment he truly deserved for his crimes?

Once Yuuri backed off, he didn’t feel the drive coursing through his blood anymore.

“Finish me off,” the alpha taunted. “Scared?”

“I’d be no better than you if I leave anymore scars.”

This was the story Yuuri was willing to end. Though every nerve in his body told him to finish the alpha off, the little part in Yuuri’s heart told him to keep the alpha alive. Keep him alive long enough so that his deeds could punish him in solitude while behind iron bars. This was the story Yuuri was willing to tell. Not to show that authority of law can stop all those who cross it, but to show that not every hero had to kill to earn his happy ending. What was this happy ending? Yuuri was numb about it, but he felt safe enough to turn his back on the alpha.

Like every story Yuuri had read before in a distant memory, the “bad guy” always wanted to leave his finishing mark. The alpha bolted, teeth and claws prepared to sink into flesh. Yuuri dodged the offender, grabbed his arm and twisted. Whimpering, the alpha collapsed onto his knees, holding onto his arm before Yuuri could twist it any farther.

“Why won’t you kill me?” The alpha spat. “I’m an alpha.”

“ _It’s not my business to judge you for who you are. That’s what the media does.”_

After all this time, Yuuri still remembered those words. It’d been three weeks since the incident. Ever since, more controversy over alphas had arose, but at least muzzles alpha-repellents were off the market for now. The hasty story and bizarre ending to a ten month-long case left many citizens dissatisfied, and Yuuri had received more than enough letters that he should’ve ended the alpha’s life right then and there. Yuuri still kept those letters, filed inside a folder that he’ll probably never read until his counselor said that it was okay.

Putting back the newspaper that detailed yet another argument over unmated alphas, Yuuri leaned against the sofa as the familiar chirps from Korean-dramas from the living room played over as Phichit rustled around in his makeshift nest, _entirely made from every shirt and blanket that Phichit could get a hold of ever since he was discharged from the hospital._ A knock on the door was a pleasant surprise, but Yuuri rushed in to answer it so that Phichit didn’t have to leave his _home._

There at the door was Viktor Nikiforov, looking considerably healthier and more youthful with each passing day. Yuuri stepped outside, and the two officers had a brief chat over the weather before Viktor dropped something special into Yuuri’s hand. A badge, a shiny badge that every officer had the privilege of wearing while on duty. Yuuri rubbed his thumb over it, feeling each detail under his skin.

“Really? I can come back?”

“After your counseling appointments and weekly checkups. Other than that, the Chief wants to see your face around the office for a change.” Viktor stopped in his tracks, watching Yuuri move towards the railing of the apartment as a blossom’s scent filled the air. Nodding more to himself, Viktor reached out to pat Yuuri’s good shoulder. The latter simply leaned against the railing with a sweet smile as Viktor stood next to Yuuri as equals.

A wisp of a storm brewed over the horizon.


End file.
